Research published earlier this year by the Futures Group – which was originally established to develop and implement the Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy has reported that 145,000 new hires will be needed in the UK life sciences sector by 2035, if the current pace of growth continues.
But do we have the pipeline of skilled workers to fill these roles? LightOx’s CEO, Dr Sam Whitehouse, gives his perspective.
The report from the Futures Group says that, of the 145,000 new hires needed, 70,000 will be new jobs and 75,000 will be needed in order to replace those leaving the workforce.
The report makes interesting reading because, although it’s clear that there will be a huge number of opportunities for people to enter the life sciences sector in the UK, we have to ask the question: how can we make sure we’re able to fill the roles?
Already, there are certain skillsets that companies in this sector can struggle to find. In my experience, it can be difficult to recruit people with analytical chemistry skills and those with good commercial awareness. It can also be a challenge to hire people for roles which are based outside the lab but which still require specialist scientific knowledge like HR, sales and marketing.
Building the talent pipeline
How do we fill these skills gaps?
The report by the Futures Group highlights the need for investment in education and training pathways and certainly, I have seen routes like degree apprenticeships emerge as a really good way of encouraging more people into the sector.
But in my experience, there just aren’t enough of these opportunities. In a previous role in a life sciences company, we ran a rolling degree apprenticeship programme and for every two vacancies we would receive up to 150 applications from all over the country. So I support the call to strengthen education and training pathways including technical education and apprenticeships.
The report also recommends expanding access to PhD and postdoctoral opportunities which, while important for recent graduates, I would also like to see made easier for those with industry experience to access.
And we need to make sure graduates understand the full range of roles they could go into, both at the start of their career and later on.
Changing perceptions of the sector
There is also the question of how the sector is seen by potential employees and the wider community.
In the past, scientists have been some of the UK’s most powerful and respected people, valued for their contributions to society.
Today, I’d really like to see more scientists in politics and finance, raising the profile of the contribution science makes and its importance to our lives and the economy.
Growing our team at LightOx
At LightOx, we’ve appointed a number of team members including Dr Natalie Young as senior research scientist and Microbiologist Dr Joy Paterson. Coming up, we will be looking for chemists at a post-doctorate level and people with experience in clinical data and running clinical trials.
Digital tools and AI might make the way we work more efficient but they won’t replace the need for skilled people to fill these roles.
The sector’s projected growth shows huge potential for young people to step into rewarding, skilled roles. But to meet future demand, we must invest in training, raise awareness of the sector’s opportunities and address emerging skills gaps now.
